Self-acting cheese-pkess



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIOE.

JOHN UNDERWOOD, OF MONTPELIER, VERMONT.

SELF-ACTING CHEESE-PRESS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 7,465, dated June 25, 1850.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, JOI-IN UNDERwooD, of Montpelier, in the county of Washington and State of Vermont, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Self-Acting Cheese-Press, which is described as follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawings of the same, making part of this specification.-

Figure l is a perspective view of the press in an elevated position.

A is the sill or bottom timber of the frame.

B is the cap or top timber.

C, O, are the side timbers.

D, D, are triangular timbers or ways fastened to the bottom sill and side timbers C C.

E, is the top beam of the interior or movable frame made with a notch in each end that lits the side timbers C, O, which serve to guide it as it traverses upand down. There are four hangers or suspended pieces F, F, F, F, fastened to the top piece E of the interior frame and extend below it, said pieces F, forming the guides of the bot-tom piece G, and the lower ends serving as bear ings o-f the rollers H, H, which rollers support the wedges I, I, and facilitate the passage of the wedges between the rollers H,

H, and K, K, the rollers K, K, being in mor.

tises in the underside of the bottom piece G, as represented by dotted lines.

The triangular pieces or ways D, D, form the sides of the grooves in which the ends of the platform or bottom G, traverse and also form the inclined planes which act upon the wedges I, I, as the frame descends. The wedges I, I, may be provided with rollers as represented by dotted lines at L, to lessen the friction against the inclined planes.

There may be a crank and a pulley on the cap beam B, of the stationary frame having a chain attached to its periphery and to the beam E, to raise the interior or movable frame after a suliicient pressure has been imparted to the cheese.

Operation: To set the press at work, raise the top piece E, near to the top piece B, of the stationary frame, and shove back the wedges I, I, against the upper or smaller portions of the inclined planes. Then place the cheese M, upon the bottom piece G, and fill the space between the cheese and the top piece E, with blocks S; then allow the top piece E, of the interior frame to descend when the weight of the interior frame and the weight of the follower both resting upon the wedges I, I, cause them to descend and at the same time the inclined planes force them in between the rollers H, H, and K, K, the latter supporting the bottom piece G, and the former-drawing the top piece E, down upon the cheese giving it the amount of pressure required. Should the weight of the cheese not be suflicientto press itself, additional weight may be added to the follower T, or to the descending frame E, F, G, to `cause it and the wedges to descend nearer to the larger ends of the inclined planes and consequently to force the wedges farther between the rollers, and thus `to increase the pressure on the cheese by causing the beams E, G, to approach each other. I contemplate that any desirable degree of pressure may be produced by changing the angles of the wedges or the inclined planes.

I do not claim to be the first person who has employed the gravity of a. press and that of the substance being compressed, as an actuating force, this having been done by others in various ways, but

Ihat I do claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- The arrangement of the rollers H, H, and K, K, and wedges I, I, in combination with the inclined planes D, D, acting in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth in the foregoing specification, to produce a suflicient pressure upon the cheese or other article to be pressed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name before two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN UNDERWOOD.

Witnesses WM. I. ELLIOT, LUND WASHINGTON. 

